Third-rail system.



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mm n Patented January 3, 1905 UNTTnn STATES PATnNT Omron@ GIOSUE DESPOSITO, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO STUART PATTERSON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

THIRD-RAIL SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,150, dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed March 12, 1904. Serial No. 197,882.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Grosrn DEsrosrro, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Third- Rail Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric railways, and particularly to those designated as thirdrail systems.

An object of this invention is to produce novel means for guarding the charged rail in order that the electric charge carried by the.

rail will not endanger life, since contact with said rail,except its under surface, is prevented.

Furthermore, an object of the invention is to provide novel means for retaining and supporting the rail in certain relation to a track along which the motor is carried.

Furthermore, an object of the invention is to provide means for permitting access to the charged rail from the top by the removal of the guard or cover.

Furthermore, an object of the invention is to produce no'vel means for insulating and supporting the rail, whereb-y leakage of current is prevented at the point of engagement of the charged rail and its supporting member.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the specificatiomwherein like characters denote corresponding parts in both views, in whicha Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of the third rail and its support fixed in certain relation to the rail of a car-track. Fig. 2 is a sectional view Aon the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

l In the drawings, A indicates a track-rail, B the cross-ties thereof, and C the spikes for attaching the rail to the cross-ties, which elements being of any ordinary construction and forming no part of the 'present invention need 'd with the cross-tie a rigid joint is made between the said bracket and cross-tie. The upper end of the bracket is provided with a flange d2, to which a girder E is secured by the bolts F, it being understood that a plurality of such brackets are employed along a track for the purpose of supporting the girder at predetermined points.

On the inner surface of the girder is secured a filling-block G, which is provided with beveled edges g, embraced by an insulatingwasher g. The upper edge of each washer instead of lying in contact with the edge of the filling-block G is curved upwardly over the said filling-block in order to prevent moisture 7o or water from passing' between said washer A and the rail. A cap g is provided at the joint, which will further protect the joint from the access of moisture. From an inspection of the drawings it will be observed that insulating parts may be readily removed, and, in fact, the whole joint is of such construction that the elements thereof are accessible from the side and from the top and bottom. The filling-block and girder have coinciding 8O apertures g3 and e, respectively, which receive an insulating-collar I-I, surrounding a bolt I, which extends through the girder and fillingblock.

A third rail L, havinga head c, web 2, and 85 base 3, is bound against the washer on the filling-block by the bolt which passes through the webof Ithe rail and through a second {illing-bloek J and girder L@ A collar M is provided at each end of the bolt.

A cover O is hinged to one girder by the hinge O and extends over the space between the two girders to protect the charged rail, which is supported in place in the manner stated.

In utilizing the charged rail the brush or collector is made to contact with the under surface or base of the rail, though by inverting the rail the head may be used as a contacting surface for the brush or collector.

The construction, operation, and advantages will,it is thought, be understood from the foregoing description, it being noted that vari ous changes may be made in the proportions and detailsof construction for successfully carrying the invention into practice without departing from the scope thereof.

Having fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a third rail for motor-cars, suitable cross-ties, brackets having flanges embracing the cross-ties, a girder secured to the bracket, a filling-block secured to the girder, the said girder and filling-block having apertures, a bolt run through the filling-block and girder, a second {illingblock and girder through which the bolt extends, a rail clamped between the lling-blocks and suitable means for insulating the parts.

2. In a third rail for motor-cars, suitable cross-ties, brackets having iianges 4embracing the cross-ties, a girder secured to the brackets, a filling-block secured to the girder, the said lilling-block and girder having coinciding apertures, a binding-bolt run therethrough, a second filling-block and girder supported by the bolt, insulating-washers of the facing Witnesses:

CLARENCE E. WALLACE, J. P. APPLEMAN. 

